The Food Culture of Lake Biwa

All of Shiga

Shiga is the origin of unique Japanese food culture

Lake Biwa, the largest lake in Japan, and its surrounding rich natural environment have created a unique food culture. The massive Lake Biwa is home to fish such as eel, nigoro-buna, gin-buna and freshwater clams, and 50 types of freshwater fish out of a total of 80 varieties inhabiting Japan can be found here. Some species are endemic to Lake Biwa and there are a variety of ways to prepare them along with versatile ingredients developed by the people who have lived in the area.

The intense cheese-like aroma of funa-zushi

Funa-zushi is a fermented food, just like miso and soy sauce, and as a sushi that combines fish and rice, it is one of Japan’s most treasured delicacies. This dish takes a tremendous amount of effort to prepare. Pregnant crucian carp caught in the spring are pickled in salt, and in the summertime, the fish is pressed together with boiled rice and further pickled. Particularly long pickling times can last from one to three years. The longer it is left to ferment, the stronger the cheese-like smell becomes, making it excellent when paired with sake, and well-favored by gourmets. In addition to funa-zushi you’ll find another famous Lake Biwa dish called tsukudani, which is foods with a salty-sweet taste that are cooked in soy sauce and sugar. Both of these dishes can be found at a veteran restaurant with an over 100 year history called Ganso Sakamotoya.

The historical Japanese Mandokoro tea made with pure valley water

Tea is essential for understanding Japanese culture, and Mandokoro is a historically important tea producing area in the Shiga mountains. Mandokoro tea, named for the region it is produced in, was loved by famous military commanders and presented as a gift to the Emperor and Shogun. Mandokoro, where tea has been produced for over 600 years, is often talked of as being an “inaccessible” land. Thanks to this, it is home to all the natural conditions for producing tea, such as deep mountains and a wealth of spring water. Only a small amount of tea is produced, and for this reason it is also called a “dreamlike tea”. Nakagawa Seiseido Teahouse is a tea store with over 150 years in the business that deals in Omi teas, including Mandokoro tea. Tea leaves are roasted in a machine in front of the store, and the aroma fills the entire area.